Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Monday, August 22, 2011

bean pole x kim jones

i'm not an opening ceremony customer. there's something a little overdone about their buy, a little trying-too-hard, downtown-cool-girl, big-ol-shoes, snark-snark-snark, etc. that said, they know how to organize solid collaborations. bean pole x kim jones is perfect: sporty, all-american shapes with fresh colors and the coolest patterned pants for men that i've come across so far this season. the reversible, navy-to-plaid quilted winter jacket is so well-priced ($200) it should be marketed as a gateway item for guys who haven't yet left the american apparel wasteland for hipper shores.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

i believe puxotony phil






 
feeding frenzy / sue de beer / bowie / hopeful outfits / "play it as it lays"

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Hometown pride

Since the world outside is frightfully gray and wet and definitely not suede shoe-approved, my defensive strategy against the elements and seasonal depression is to jam as many colors as possible into every outfit. As such, my online shopping trigger finger is aimed on All For Everyone's incredibly charming and affordable knitwear. Everything is handmade by Annie Larson, a designer from my Minneapolis hometown. She describes her knitting process in detail on the site; I give one thumbs up for transparency, and another for recognizing among the models a boy I sat next to in my high school Shakespeare class. Hey, Tim! Nice hat.


Monday, August 23, 2010

Monday, June 28, 2010

boys will be boys (and men will dress like men)

there is much to love in the men's spring 2011 collections, where sensibility reigned alongside just enough youthful details to compel. prada was one of my favorites, but the boys and older gentlemen presented by agnes b. were really something.

there are two elements that i've been looking for at recent shows: a variety of models and facial expressions. when most fashion people go on about diversity within modeling, they almost always mean 'the black guy' or 'the one plus-size girl everyone is using this season to keep critics from slamming our obsession with ribcages,' but i think it's time for 'the old one' to step forward. if you consider that the main consumer base for all fashion houses are well beyond adolescence, it makes sense to present part of each collection with models who at least somewhat represent those who will actually purchase, and wear, certain pieces. i say 'certain' because the suits agnes b. outfitted her Man Models in are clearly for an older customers; it would take a very, very hip 40-year-old man to wear the pirate-cum-surfer look sported by the young guys, though i wouldn't rule it out completely...